A spider’s web, full of hand spun crafts

Surprises in La Serena

On my first day back in Chile I unpacked our stuff and put my wheel to one side. After chatting with my in-laws I set to work sanding and cleaning it before I put it back together.

I bought my Ashford Traditional used in February 2010, and from the Ashford web-site I estimate it is almost 30 years old. I didn’t appreciate its aged look until I saw a new, unfinished Traditional in a local store. My wheel looks beautiful and the wood reflects and shimmers as I spin. That was a shock as well, to see Ashford products here in La Serena.

When I started spinning here seven years ago, one of the yarn shops told me no one wanted hand spun, “hippy” yarn. About four years ago I started to see yarn from the south that had a more natural feel to it, but the only wheels I saw were in the south. Now after a year away, I have come back to felting and weaving classes, and Ashford looms, wheels, and wool on sale in one of the few yarn shops. (Not the same shop who criticized my “hippy” yarn, they closed).

I would like to teach fibre crafts, but I have to find a place to set up all my stuff. So, for now I am trying to find other people in La Serena who are fibre addicts.